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AFTER READING
OBJECTIVES
  • Formulate an inquiry question that is connected to this week's lesson focus.
  • Effectively and efficiently find, evaluate, and communicate information related to an inquiry question using electronic sources.
New Literacies
Synthesize
Analyze
Communicate
Navigate/Search
Identify Questions
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1
OBJECTIVES
  • Review terms related to illustrations.
  • Use illustrations to gather information.
Practice Book
Practice Book p. 39
with | without Answers
Practice Book
Practice Book p. 40
with | without Answers
NEW LITERACIES
Internet Inquiry Activity
EXPLORE THE SOUTHWESTERN LANDSCAPE
Use the following 5-day plan to help students conduct this week's Internet
inquiry activity on the uniqueness of the southwestern landscape. Remind
students to follow classroom rules when using the Internet.
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 4
DAY 3
Identify Questions Discuss the lesson focus question: What is unique about the landscape of the Southwest? Brainstorm ideas for specific inquiry questions about the landscape of the Southwest. For example, students might want to learn more about unique landforms or plants and animals that thrive in this U.S. region. Have each student select an inquiry question to answer.
Navigate/Search Review how to conduct an Internet search using a student-friendly search engine or an online encyclopedia. Have students determine keywords related to their inquiry questions. As students study search engine results, point out specific URLs. Explain URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and each Web site has a unique URL address. Discuss information students can infer from the URL, such as the letters gov used for government Web sites. Have students select a few sites to explore further.
Analyze Have students explore Web sites they identified on Day 2. Tell them to analyze each site carefully, searching for information related to their inquiry questions. Discuss how to distinguish relevant information and take notes. If allowed, students can print and highlight Web site information.
Synthesize Have students synthesize the information gathered on Day 3. Remind them they will need to combine ideas from different sources to try to come up with cohesive answers to their inquiry questions. Suggest they begin with an outline.
Communicate Encourage students to share their inquiry results in oral reports. They can create drawings or print photos with captions to help the class visualize what they learned about the uniqueness of the Southwest.
DAY 5
RESEARCH/STUDY SKILLS
Illustration/Caption/Label
TEACH
Discuss illustrations students have seen in books, encyclopedias, and magazines.
Explain that illustrations often give readers information about the characters
and events in a story or the subject of nonfiction texts. Display an illustration
that includes a caption and label and review the following terms:
  • An illustration can be a photograph, drawing, or diagram.
  • A caption is the text that tells about the illustration. It is usually found
    below or next to the illustration.
  • A label is a word or phrase that names part of an illustration.
Give pairs a textbook or other text with illustrations. Have them browse
through the text, paying close attention to illustrations, captions, and labels.
Then ask each pair to select an illustration and answer these questions:
  1. What is the purpose of the illustration?
  2. How does the illustration help you better understand the text?
  3. How do the caption or labels help you understand the illustration?
Illustration/Caption/Label
ASSESS
Ask students to describe the illustration and its caption or labels in their own
words. They should be able to identify the purpose of the illustration and
explain how the caption or labels provide further information about it.
For more practice or to assess students, use Practice Book pp. 39–40.